Skins 2000

Lajamanu Community Education Centre.

Skins was a performance event in the remote Aboriginal community of Lajamanu (October). It was a great success, building on long term established links with that community. The performance was preceded by two weeks of workshops in dance and visual arts making, involving the entire school population, (a number that swelled over the period of our work.) This project was an experiment in a different model of working in the community. With over a decade behind them in this community Tim Newth and David McMicken felt that working in this community seemed to be a lot about returning, rather than the actual project details. It is not the time spent in the community but rather the commitment to coming back.

Tim and David worked on thematic material that matched what the teachers were working on in other areas. They also reopened up the art room to produce visual material to match the performance. The arts room had been closed for some time due to an inability to control the students in there (possibly matched with not having specific arts trained teachers on staff.) Tim was able to provide a structured program with clear results,. Working with David and the classroom teacher the work involved communal or group participation providing a controlled environment and a shared joy of creation.

Creative Personnel

Dance: David McMicken
Visual Arts: Tim Newth

Sponsors

Lajamanu Community Education Centre

Funding Bodies

Tracks is assisted by: the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body; and the Northern Territory Government